The present invention relates to a caps for containers, wherein the caps include a piercing element for piercing a cover within the container. This cover can be a seal or a foil and the cap includes the means for breaking the foil, creating a liquid passageway from the container, and the ability to re-seal the container.
Different styles of caps of lids for containers (for liquids and liquid suspensions) are prolific. There are a variety of forms which can include, for example: a tamper-evident ring; the ability of a cap to be re-sealable; the screw threading of a cap onto the container; and re-sealable tops (xe2x80x9csipper topsxe2x80x9d). The caps and containers may be one off uses, or may be re-useable; for example, the cap having a screw thread.
Containers are also available in which the top of the container (within the cap) is sealed with a foil or cover. This could be plastic or foil, a combination of these, cardboard or any number of materials or combination of materials. Generally the seal is heat annealed, or laminated, to the top edge of the container, usually to retain the contents in a sterile condition until they are required. The manual piercing or releasing of such a seal can sometimes be very difficult. In addition to removal of the cap on the container, considerable control force may be required to pierce the seal and provide a liquid passage from the container.
Mechanical means for piercing the seal can be usedxe2x80x94a knife or the like. However all these solutions require that the cap be removed, the seal pierced and the cap re-seated on the container. This is required as the cap provides part of the liquid pathway for material from the container.
Solutions to some of these problems are also provided in other disclosures. U.S. Pat. No. 4,638,927 discloses a container and cap with a piercing element. However there is no liquid passageway through the piercing element, the liquid passageway (once the seal has been pierced) being provided separately and without means to seal said liquid within the container. U.S. Pat. No. 3,347,410 provides a cap that requires separate sealing after breaching of the foil seal.
PCT AU/97/00400 provides a cap which has a partially moveable top portion. It has a centrally placed piercing element connected to the top portion. However the top portion is pulled up to pierce the seal and release the material within the cap into the container. There is no internal means to form a tamper-evident means integrally with the cap. Further, the liquid seal provided once the foil seal is pierced is provided below the top of the container so that the container cannot be fully emptied.
AU 40755/95 provides four or five parts of a cap to perform the functions of initial sealing of the liquid in the container, tamper-evident means, piercing means, resealing means and liquid passageway. The manufacture of such parts adds considerably to the cost and complication of assembly and the container is not capable of reuse.
JP 8091418 provide a cap which incorporates a mixture which can be added to the liquid in the container. However once the mixture is added to the container the cap provides no liquid pathway for release of the mixture out of the container.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,758,788 also provides a cap for a container with a seal piercing means. However there is no method within the cap for re-sealing the container after the seal is broken.
WO99/44907 provides a cap with a cover. However the cover is required for resealing the liquid in the container once the seal within the container is broken. There is further sealing means in the cap.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,982,875 provides a cap with a piercing element and cover. However the cover and part of the cap (which incorporates the piercing element) must be removed before there is a liquid passageway from the container through the cap.
WO99/00311 provides a piercing element, but no means to reseal and provides no liquid passageway once the first seal is broken. Thus the cap must be removed before liquid can be removed from the container.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,975,369 provides a xe2x80x9csipper topxe2x80x9d style cap with a top portion. However, the cap itself in the parts provided cannot provide tamper-evident means, nor a piercing element.
WO89/02399 provides a cap which is re-sealable. However, there is no liquid passageway therethrough, nor does it incorporate tamper-evident means within the cap itself.
An object of the present invention is the provision of a cap for a container wherein the cap performs a plurality of functions which include: a seal to retain liquid within the container, and which, when combined with the container provides, a means for breaking the seal, a re-sealable liquid passageway, without the need for removal of the cap from the container and, a tamper-evident means.
A further object of the invention is the provision of a cap for a container which provides useful alternatives to the above mentioned previous caps and containers.
A further object of the present invention is the provision of a cap and container so as to offer an economic alternative to presently available containers.
Further aspects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent for the ensuing description which is given by way of example only.
According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a cap for a container, said container having a top opening and being capable of containing a liquid, said cap incorporating a seal piercing element, and wherein:
the liquid in the container is initially separated from said piercing element by a seal; said cap including:
a collar with means for securing the cap to the container about the top opening, said collar being formed with a liquid passage therethrough;
a neck portion;
a top portion which is moveable, has a liquid passage therethrough, and comprises the seal piercing element; and wherein
the top portion is moveable between three positions, these positions being an initial position, an open position and a closed position, the initial position being a visual indicator of a sealed container and wherein the top portion is moveable from the initial position to the closed position and, when first so moved, causes the piercing element to pierce the seal, and thereafter when said top is moved from the closed position to the open position a liquid passage way is created for the liquid from the container to outside the cap, and wherein
thereafter when the top portion is in the closed position, one or more elements of the top portion bear against one or more elements of the neck portion, or engage therewith, to provide a liquid seal between the top portion and the neck portion;
and wherein said cap further includes:
xe2x80x83releasable means for releasably maintaining the top portion in the initial position and releasable means for releasably retaining the top portion in the open position; and wherein
xe2x80x83when the top portion is in the initial position, the liquid is sealed within the container by said seal.
According to a further aspect of the present invention there is provided a piercing cap for a container as described above, wherein the neck portion and collar are formed integrally.
According to a further aspect of the present invention there is provided a piercing cap for a container as described above, wherein said top portion and said piercing element are formed integrally.
According to a further aspect of the present invention there is provided a piercing cap for a container substantially as described above wherein said piercing element is in a form selected from: one or more sharpened edges; and one or more sharpened points. Optionally, the or all points and/or edges are peripherally positioned on the bottom of the sides of the top portion. When the or all points/edges are peripheral, the bottom of the top portion may optionally be formed at an angle to the sides of the top portion.
In a preferred aspect of the present invention there is provided a piercing cap for a container wherein said seal is made from material selected from: aluminium foil; plastic; rigid plastics material; cardboard or wood products; a plastics material; and a combination of these.
According to a further aspect of the present invention there is provided a piercing cap for a container as described above wherein said seal is formed integrally at, or adjacent the top of, the collar.
Alternatively, said seal is heat annealed to the top of said container after insertion of liquid into said container.
In a further aspect of the present invention of the above described cap, the cap further includes a removable cover over a part of the cap, which cover may incorporate further and additional tamper evident means, of known type. The cover may optionally be releasably securable to the cap or to a portion of the cap. This permits the cover to be repeatedly pulled on and off the cap. Alternative the cover may be releasably secured to the container, over the cap.
In a yet further aspect of the present invention there is provided the above described cap, wherein said top portion includes cylindrical side elements, which are positioned on the outside of the top part of the neck portion, wherein said side elements engage with the top part of the neck portion in a twisting or threaded motion, as said top portion is moved between the open and the closed positions. The helical motion of the top portion thus assists the piercing element in piercing the seal on the top of the container.
According to a further aspect of the present invention there is provided a piercing cap for a container as described above, wherein said neck portion includes cylindrical sides which are positioned outside of the side of the top portion.
According to a further aspect of the present invention there is provided a piercing cap for a container as described above, wherein said neck portion includes cylindrical sides and a centrally positioned projection for sealing against, or in, an opening in the top portion, when the top portion is in the closed position.
It will be appreciated that an advantage of the invention is that a variety of different styles of liquid passageways may be created by different arrangements of projections of the neck portion and holes in the top portion, and dependent on whether the top portion slides relative to the neck portion inside the neck portion or outside portion.
According to a further aspect of the present invention there is provided a piercing cap for a container as described above, wherein said seal piercing element includes a prong or pointed end which is centrally positioned with respect to the neck portion. Optionally, said prong is integrally formed with the top portion.
In a yet further aspect of the present invention there is provided a piercing cap for a container as described above, wherein said piercing element is a separate element within said top portion, said neck portion being moveable between two positions: an upper position and a lower position, and wherein said upper position forms part of the initial position of the top portion, and wherein
when said top portion is in the initial position and is moved to the closed position, said piercing element is pushed from the upper position to the lower position; and thereafter said piercing element remains or is retained in said lower position.
In a yet further aspect of the present invention there is provided a piercing cap for a container as described above, wherein said initial position and said open position are the same positions of the top portion relative to the neck portion.
According to a still further aspect of the present invention there is provided a container, seal and cap, said cap being substantially as described above.
According to a still further aspect of the present invention there is provided a container, seal and cap, said container including a liquid, or liquid suspension.
It will therefore be appreciated that containers for holding any type of liquid, from a highly viscous liquid to a liquid/liquid suspension of low viscosity, can be sealed with a seal and a cap in accordance with the invention. The seal piecing element is used to pierce the seal without the need to remove the cap from the container, and thereafter the cap can be used to remove the liquid from the container. This can be done by pouring, sipping, or squeezing, the liquid from the container through the liquid passageway, or under the operation of gravity. Additionally, liquid can be sealed in the container if all the liquid is not removed from the container at one time.